Objective
Explore the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in North America through a fictional case study. This assignment encourages critical analysis of how race, gender, and class intersect within the criminal justice system while examining the systemic neglect of Indigenous women and communities.
Assignment Guidelines:
Instructions: Using the text, lectures, and journal articles, answer the questions form the context of race, class, and gender in the CJ system.
Fictional Case Profile:
· Victim Background: Leanne Greyhawk, a 24-year-old Indigenous woman from the Little Bear Reservation in the Midwest, worked as a teacher’s aide and was a prominent advocate for Native language revitalization.
· Incident Description : Leanne went missing after attending a gathering in a nearby town. Her car was found abandoned three days later on a rural road. Local law enforcement initially dismissed her disappearance as a “runaway case.” Two months later, her remains were discovered in a forested area, but no significant progress was made in identifying suspects.
· Response from Authorities : Despite repeated inquiries from Leanne’s family, law enforcement conducted minimal investigations. Evidence was mishandled, and officers failed to follow up on leads.
· Community and Public Response : The Little Bear community organized search efforts and vigils. Advocacy groups amplified Leanne’s case as part of the larger MMIW movement, demanding accountability from law enforcement and systemic reform.
Instructions:
Upload a 1-2 page document answering the questions below. Be sure to use sources to
reflect your answers.
Intro Questions:
1. Why are MMIW cases often overlooked or mishandled by the justice system, and what
systemic barriers contribute to this neglect?
2. How does the intersection of race, gender, and class in MMIW cases reveal broader
patterns of discrimination in society?
3. What role do community-led efforts and movements like MMIW play in addressing
systemic injustices?
Analysis Questions:
4. How does the fictional case reflect the systemic marginalization of Indigenous women?
5. In what ways do race, gender, and class intersect in the experiences of MMIW and their
families?
6. What reforms or policy changes are needed to address the MMIW crisis, and how can
Indigenous voices lead these efforts?
Provide 2-3 Questions that you are left to consider:
Rubric for Evaluation:
• Case Profile (25%): Creativity, detail, and relevance to the themes of the course.
• Analysis Questions (25%): Depth of understanding, application of course concepts, and
use of evidence.
• Discussion Questions (15%): Thoughtfulness and relevance to class themes.
• Mechanics (10%): Grammar, organization, and adherence to guidelines.